Women of Color, Pay Attention: This Program Will Help You Build Your Startup

Anything men can do, women can too — including building game-changing startups.

The #BuiltxWomen’s Initiative, a program launched by TechSquare Labs, is on a mission to address the inequality seen by founders and entrepreneurs that also happen to be women of color. How? By pairing 50 women who know how to build with 50 who know how to go-to-market, in a pilot six-month education program that facilitates a product from idea to reality.

Through bi-weekly learning labs on topics ranging from finding a co-founder to branding and beyond, 100 Black and Latinx women will build technology products that aim to solve the problems that face us all today. Each accepted participant will be matched with another woman with complementary skills and strengths. All 100 will be able to work out of TechSquare Labs on a part-time basis.

Bonus: Why do we need #BuiltxWomen?

Hype caught up with Diamonde Williamson, Diversity Coordinator at TechSquare Labs, (and founder of diversity-focused media startup Blossom) to find out what inspires her to lead this program. Check it out.

Why have you decided to spearhead this initiative? Why does helping women of color matter to you?

I know for a fact that the only reason I’ve been able to accomplish what I have is because of the women of color that have helped me. There’s been SO many woman who have given me an opportunity and I’m thankful for that. So I have to pass that along because I see what giving people a chance can do for someone’s life.

How is this model different from the offerings currently on the market for female entrepreneurs of color?

One of the things that makes BuiltxWomen different is that we are offering this program to developers and go-to-market women so that we can team them up based on the problems they want to solve. If you want to be build a tech company, you have to have a tech person, right? Someone who can build.

What do you hope to see at the conclusion of the program?

We want this program to result in tech companies built by women. Period. Our women will come out with a prototype that is launched into the market. If we want to create wealth for ourselves we have to produce more than we consume. Not only that, but we have to produce things that matter. Things that people care about.